Karla Ruiz Cofino

Guatemala

Karla Ruiz Cofiño connects people through technology. The Guatemalan entrepreneur helps individuals and companies navigate, contribute and participate in an increasingly borderless world. An interactive communications and social media strategist, Karla co-founded MILKnCOOKIES, the award-winning digital agency she built in Guatemala City.

For the last 10 years, she has immersed herself in online and mobile technologies. Karla has become an expert at leveraging digital technology to advance a company’s brand, revenue and bottom line. But she believes that having a digital presence is about much more than just business.

“Technology is reshaping the world,” says Karla. “I am convinced that rather than asking ‘What is technology doing to us?’, the right question is ‘What can we do with it?’”

As the world rapidly evolves, Karla believes that our ability to connect in meaningful ways becomes all the more significant. By sharing information, experiences and wisdom, people around the world are building what Karla calls ‘collective intelligence.’ She is on a mission to harness this global pool of knowledge to positively impact our world in big and small ways.

Karla equips people with the digital skills and knowledge they need to become active contributors to online communities. As technology removes boundaries that once divided us, the ability to influence social causes, cultures and trends is dispersed. Karla believes it’s critical that people recognize and harness the power they have by virtue of being connected to the internet. She says we all “have a vote in the future of sustainable society…if you don’t know how to move in the digital world, then you’re not part of the collective intelligence – you’re not voting.”

For Karla, technology opens up endless possibilities. In a country still recovering from decades of civil war, Karla is using technology to create new job opportunities. Her latest endeavor is called DIGITAL AWARENESS. The initiative empowers women through technology, providing training that enables stay-at-home moms and housewives to export specialized social media services to niche consumers in other countries.

Karla sees a future of interconnected global citizens who are keenly aware of the power they have and how to use it. She envisions a community of change-makers who connect through technology to improve the world.